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JHN BLAKE TARR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. Letters Patent No. 67,000, dated July 23, 1867.

IMPROVBD MACHINE FOR MAKING GAST-STEEL CAR-WHEELS.

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TO ALL WI-IOM IT MAY CON CERN p Beit known that I, Jol-IN BLAKE Tuna, of Chicago, in the county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented an improved Machine for Making Cast-Steel Car-Wheels; and I do hereby declare that the following is a. full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in whichf Figure 1, sheet 1, is a side elevation of a machine which is adapted for making cast-steel car-wheels.

Figure 2 is a top view of the machine.

Figure 3 is a vert-ical central section of the 'machine with the metal in the mould previous to applying pressure.

Figure 4 is a similar view of the same parts, showing the upper sections of the mould Velevated from the cast wheel. i

Figure -5, sheet 2, is a front view ofthe machine, showing the upper sections of the mould elevated.

Figure 6 is a section taken in the horizontal plane indicated by red line :n fr, tig. 5.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

This invention relates in part to certain novel improvements on the machine for making cast-steel lcastings whi'ch was secured to Ine by Letters Patent on the 28th dayof August, 1866, in which screw power was described for raising and depressing the upper -sections of the mould, and also for condensing or compressing the metal while in the mould in a plastic state.

The invention also relates to au improved mode of withdrawing the core or plug from the centre or eye of the mould so as to obviate the objections to driving out such coreby percussion. I

The main object of my invention is to provide means for the employment of hydrostatic pressure for con` (lensing or compressing cast-steel ear-wheels and other articles of useful and merchantable form while in a mould' in aliquidor semi-liquid' state; also, for raising and depressing the follower or upper section of the mould;

and also for the purpose of raising anddepressing the core which forms the eye through a. car-wheel, as will be hereinafter described.

Another object of my invention is to provide for adjusting the mould and adapting it for castings of different thickness, and also for regulating the amount of metal required for a casting of a given thickness, as willzbe hereinafter described.

Another object of my invention is to provide for raising and depressing the movable section of a mould in a perfectly parallel plane tothe lower section 'of the mould, and at the same time to avoid the liability of sa-g gingof said movable sectioii inthe operation of compressing steel in a mould, as will be hereinafter described.

To enable others skilled in" th'art to understand my invention, I will describe one practical mode of oarrying it into effect.

of useful form can he produced by changing the form of the moulds without altering the principle of the invention. In the accompanying drawings, A represents the base-plate of the machine, which forms the lower section ofthe mould within which the cur-wheel A is cast. represents a ring which gives form to the circumference or' tread of the. wheel and a portion of the flange thereof. This ring forms the vertical section of the mould, and it is fitted within an annulaireeess which is formed in the upper face ot' the' horizontal section or bed-platc A, as shown in figs. Sand 4. C representsthe upper horizontal section of the mould which produces the contour of the outer surface of the wheel, and forms, in conjunction with the ring B and the base-plate a chamber or mould within which the Wheels A are cast. The hole which is through the centre of the-wheel iaproduced by means of a metal core, D,-which is made slightly tapering so thatit can be easily withdrawn lbefore removing the wheel from the mould. This core passes throughthe two plates A and C, and fits snugly in'A holes which are made through them. l A tapering hole oringate is made through the plate C, through which the metal is poured into the mould. The upper end of this ingate is provided with a perforated slide,a, which is fitted between guides a a and used for closing the ingate after pouring the metal into the mould; also, for cutting off the surplus metal.- More than one ingate may be employed if desired, sothat the mould can be lled by pouring ne metal into it at different points. Directly bcneath said ingate a recess is madein the upper face ofthe mould-plate A andfilled -With-plumbago or so'me other substance which will not be readilyinjured-by the heated metal, and beneath this plumbago ce set-screw, cl, is employed for adjust-ing it as it wears orburns away, so as to keep its upper surface flush with the surface. ofv the mould. Gr Cr Gare three strong' pillars which are arranged atequal distances apart, and securely bolted to the bed-plate A at their lower ends, and to a head-piece at their upper ends, so as to serve as supports for the head-picco E and to hold 'it down firmly against upward strain. These pillars may beb'olted to o'sets on plate A so that there shall be snliicient space between them' for' the removal ofthe wheels from the mould. Upon this head-plate cylinder, H, of suitable capacity is secured, within which moves a. piston, I. To this piston three rods J J J are secured at regular intervals apart .around its centre, which rods pass down through stuffing-boxes applied to the head-plateE, and are secured at their lower ends to the upper section C of the mould, as shown in the drawings. The plate C and piston I are parallel to each other, and their axes or centres coincide; The piston-rods J are applied to sadoparts by means of screws, collars, and nuts, or in any other substantial manner which will prevent the plate C from tilting or losing its parallelism with respect to the lower section of the mould. Openings are'made at or near the upper and lower ends of the cylinder H, to which pipes are suitably connected, thatA communicate with *a hydrostatic press or pump. The opening beneath the piston I is for the purpose of admitting liquid for raising this piston, and the opening above the piston admits liquid for depressing it. By this means the piston I and plate C can be raised and' depressed by hydrostatic pressure. Beneath the head-plate E, and secured toit concentrically to -the'axis of the cylinder I-I, is asmaller cylinder, K, within which works a piston, L, to which a-rod, L', is secured, the lower end of which is secured to-the core D, las shown in figs. 1, 3, and 4. This piston-cylinder K also receives liquid from a hydrostatic pump atits upper and lower ends for the purpose of raising and depressing the piston Land core D. The length of stroke of the piston Ishould be such as to admit of raising the plate C tothe prop-er height for removing the casting. The length of stroke of the piston L should be such as to raise the .core D to such height as to free it from the casting. Twoor more adjustable hooks e e are screwed into the upper surface of the plate C, near its circumference, which, when this plate C is brought down to the posi tion 4shown in tig. 3 for pouring the metal into the mould, will rest upon ledges or elevations upon ring B and prevent said plate from further descent.- By adjusting these hooked screws e e plate C can be caused to enter the ring Bany required distance, according to the thickness required of the casting. Before pressure is applied to the metal in the mould the hooked screws e e are turned to one side so as not to be arrested by the elevations on ring B. -The hooked screws g g which are tapped into the ring B are used for allowing this ring to be lifted with the section C,as shown in tige. 4 and 5, when it is desired to remove the casting from the mould.

' The hooked screws h h which are tapped into the bed-plate A serve for holding down the 4ring B during the operation of pouring the metal into the mould and compressing the same. These hooks also serve to hold the ring B down in place when the upper plate C is raised, so as to allow this plate to become detached from the` upper surface of the wheel or casting.- `The hooks'g g are adjusted to allow this movement of plate C before the ring B is raised, after which hooks h h are turned to one side and the ring and plate are elevated-together,- leaving the wheel or casting upon the bed-plate A.

Before commencing the operation of casting itis desirable to smoke the mould, or to cover the entire snrfaces of the'seetons of the mould inside with soot, to prevent liability of the metal burning and adhering to the mould. The sections of the mould are'adjustedin their proper positions for receiving the melted steel, as shown in iig. 3, andthe central core D moved down to its place, ifa car-wheel is to be east, Vso as to leave an eye' through such wheel The liquidlsteel is then poured into the mould through the ingate as above described, and the slide a is immediately moved over the ingate so as to cut oli' the upper end of the spruc and to close the opening. The hooks e e are then turned to one side so as to allow the plate C to be depressed bythe a'pplicatio'nlof hydrostatic pressure to the piston I, thus compressing theV metal while in the mould. After pressure the co'r'eD is raised free from the casting; then, by the application of pressure beneath the piston I,- the plate C is raised a short distance, after which hooks L h are turned to one side to allow the ring B and plate C to be elevated4 together. This pressure upon the metal in the mould will expel the air and gaseous carbon from thev steel through suitable apertures which are made in the.mould sections, and at the Same time condense the libres of the steel, rendering it tougher and more dense than it would be if no pressure were applied.

In the compression employed in the cases herein contemplated, not only is great. power requisite, but the core D and the follower' C should at'the proper time be raised suddenly in order that the mould' vsections should be quickly freed from the casting when it becomes vsetf as it is important when this separation lcommences that it should be made rapidly to prevent the castings from cracking as they shrink in cooling. It is also indispensable to success that the plate or follower C should be prevented from tilting while in the act of being forced down upon the metal in themould.

The use of screw power, as contemplated in my patent o f Angust28,1866, will not answer these purposes. Great power may be vthus applied, it is true', but much less in proportion to the facility ofi its application than can be obtained through the hydraulic press. But the elevating motion of the screw is too slow to answer the purpose desired, and no way is yet shown bywhich that power can be so brought upon the follower as to prevent it from tilting; whereas by the use of Athe hydrostatic press the core D and follower C can be rapidly elevated, and the use of the piston-rods I J J, through which the power is transmitted, causes jthe pressure u'pon the casting to be entirely even and uniform at all points.

These latter results would also be attained by the use of steam or compressed air -in making the pressure, but there are so many objections to the use of these agents that I greatly prefer the hydrostatic press for this purpose. i

I am aware that a hydrostatic press has heretofore been used for th e compression of cast-steel ingots when in a. molten state,.s.nd that it has also been suggested for the compression of the tires of car-wheels. I shall,

therefore, make no claims so broad as to embrace the use of such a press for either of these purposes. But inv both these cases the object sought was merely the exertion of great power, and the advantages of rapid elevation andthe avoidance of the tilting of the follower were not-contemplated and were unimportant. The use of hydrostatic pressure' to the casting oi' cast-steel car-wheels possesses peculiar advantages not heretofore found bythe use of any other mechanical powers, and furnishes the vleading subject-matter of my present application.

Wlint, therefore, I claim as new, and desire to Letters Patent, is-

1. The' condensation. of cust-steel cairfwheels while in a molten state by means of hydrostatic pressure applied substantially as described.

2. The use of three or more piston-rods J J J to connect the movable section or follower C with the piston I in an apparatus for casti ig cast-steel car-Wheels for the purpose of obtaining uniform pressure in thel metal in the manner substantially as described. i

3. The gaugehooks e e, or their equivalents, applied to the follower C for regulating the thickness of the casting, substantially as described l 4. In e. machine which is adapted to moulding and pressing cast-steel car-wheels, I clnim conneetingfthe core D with a. piston moving in its own cylinder, so that said core can be raised und depressed by hydrostatic pressure substantially as described. l

5. The combination of u cylinder, H, piston-rods J J J', and follower C, in a machine forcasting car-wheels, :substantially as and for the purpose described.

JOHN BLAKE TARR. Witnesses:

R. T. CAMPBELL, Enw. Saucisse. 

